Meat packing conveyer



Nov. 1320 c. T. WALTER MEAT PACKING CONVEYER Filed Jan. 5, 1931 HG-El INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1932 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES TAYLOR WALTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SWIFT AND COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MEAT raoizme convnvnn Application filed January 5, 1931. Serial No. 506,652. v

This invention relates to methods and run on appropriatesprocket'wheels such as means for arranging products such as sliced 8. The depressions 9 are clearly shown in bacon for economical packing and means for Figures 1 and 3. The speed of the conveyer carrying out the method. One of the Objects being synchronized with the speed of the slic- 5 of the invention is to provide a moving ing machine, I have found that when both conveyer to carry sliced product away from the conveyer and the slicing machine are each the slicing means, which conveyer is adapted operated at a uniform speed, with any dcto easy removal of the product. sired constant relationship between the two f Another object of the invention is to prospeeds,'that the bacon slices fall upon the 10 vide a means for removing the product from conveyer in constant spaced relationship to the conveyer. each other. The amount of this spacing It is conventional practice in packing sliced may be altered by changing either the mabacon to cause vthe slices as they come from chine speed or the conveyer speed. The conthe slicing machine to fall in pans, an operveyer 'may be operated ata variable speed 15 ator counting the slices as they fall or deproperly synchronized with the slicing matel-mining the quantity in the pan by scalchine to cause groups of slices to be not ing means, the pans being then placed upon uniformly spaced as for example, the slices a belt conveyer to be carried to thepackers to be spaced closer together at the center who must arrange the slices in spaced relaof the group than at the ends of the group.

20 tion in order to make an attractive mer- This same efi'ect may be produced by mainchantable package. taining the conveyer speed constant and the It is possible to cause slices of bacon to rotative speed of the slicing knife constant fall upon a conveyer in accurately spaced and giving the slicing machine an oscillatory-- relationship as described in my copending motion in the direction of the conveyer moapplication entitled Meat-packing method, tion. The slices fall upon the conveyer in filed January 5, 1932, Serial 506,653. the proper relation to each other for pack- The object of my present invention is to ing. To carry out my method I may emutilize to the fullest extent the benefits to ploy a fork not shown. be derived from causing bacon to be ac- It will be understood that while my invencurately spaced upon a moving conveyer. In tion may be practiced with slicing machines so the accompanying drawing which forms a of various types and irrespective of the nature part of this specification similar numerals or of the product and that changes may be-made references in similar figures indicate similar in the design in details of the invention as parts. herein illustrated, it might be noted that the 35 Figure 1 is a plan view of one unit of the invention is particularly applicable for 00- 8 conveyer. operation and use with a slicing machine of a Figure 2 is an end VleW of one end of the type such as particularly described and conveyer. claimed in my copending application filed Figure 3 is a prospective vlew of one unit June 11, 1931, Serial No. 543,499.

40 of the conveyor. I claim:

It should be noted that the apron or belt 1, A dl b lt t f conveyer consists of a plurality of Corr ga ed nit prising a plurality of parallel members, each presenting in assembly a fiat surface travmember being formed of a continuous piece.

F ersed lengthwise byaplurality of depressions of flat material and bent at intervals to' or grooves. The several units as 1, are idenprovide parallel grooves, the extremities of tical, each one having its extremities proeach member being disposed in horizontal jecting inthe form of rigid, flat supporting alignment with each other and substantially portions 2 and 3 to slidably or otherwise inthe horizontal plane of the upper surfaces 50 rest on angle irons 4 and 5. Two chains, of the respective members to form rigid, pro- 6 and 7, join the several units. The chains jecting, flat supporting portions for the mem- 1 C bers, the grooves of said members aligning when the members are assembled and the grooves ruiming in the direction of motion of the conveyer, and parallel endless sprocket chains connecting said members on the undersides thereof below the horizontal plane ,of said sup orting portions.

2. An endless belt type of conveyer comprising a plurality of parallel members, each member being formed of a continuous piece of flat material and bent at intervals to provide parallel grooves, the extremities of each member being disposed in horizontal alignment with each other and substantiallfy in the horizontal plane of the upper suraces of the respective members to form rigid, projecting, flat supporting portions for the members, the grooves of said members ali ing when the members are assembled an the grooves running in the direction of motion of the conveyer, and endless sprocket chains each rigidly secured to the bottoms of certain of the grooves of each of said members and within the vertical plane of said supporting portions.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 3rd day of J annary, A. D. 1931.

CHARLES TAYLOR WALTER. 

